I have always been looking for a recipe that can help me in cooking pork. Pork when roasted well can turn out to be a moist and succulent dish. My tryst to invent the perfect recipe began followed by a series of trial and error methods. After a series of failures, I have finally discovered the secret behind a perfectly roasted pink meat with a crisp and brown crust. Let’s dive in deeper to know more about the mistakes you should not be making while cooking pork.

Lack of Seasoning Overnight

It is common knowledge that the meat has to be seasoned before roasting. However, it is also important that you do it the night before roasting it. A quick round of seasoning with salt and pepper along with herbs of your choice is recommended. After you have seasoned it, place it uncovered in the refrigerator. This allows the ingredients to penetrate into the meat adding to its flavor. Ensure that the herbs and spices are added in bigger amounts than you think you need. It is always better that you add salt first and then sprinkles pepper and garlic generously on the pork. If you are unsure about the quantity you need to use, measure it out. To 2.2 kg of meat, add half teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt and half spoon garlic powder.

Not Bringing Cold Pork Down to Room Temperature

If you have just taken the meat out of the refrigerator, make sure that you do not pop it in the oven instantly. The cooking time is lengthened and the pork can remain raw at some places. Make sure you bring down the meat at room temperature for 2 hours before you start the roasting process. Increase your food knowledge: Food Wiki: What is Mortadella?

Not trimming and tying your roast.

Trimming and tying are two important parts of roasting. Trimming eliminates the excess fat which is an unpleasant sight. Tying helps the meat retain its shape and prevents it from losing its dressing. Therefore, after you have stuffed the pork it is important that you tie it with a string. If you are unable to master the art of tying, then learn it from your butcher.

Do Not Cook Past Pink Stage and Avoid Slow Cooking

Rubbery and discolored meat is not something one would desire. However, uniformly browned meat with a crisp crust and the pink interior is what everybody wants. The latter can be achieved when you cook the meat at high temperatures. Start off by setting the oven on a very high range which is above 450 degrees. After the pork browns, reduce it to 300-325 degrees so that the surface of the meat does not burn before the interior is cooked. Cooking pork till it is well done gives you a chewy and dry dish. It is therefore important that you do not cook the pork past its rosy pale pink stage. Cooking pork to a pale pink color gives you pork that is succulent and flavourful. To achieve this, cook the pork to 145 degrees.

Browning Before You Roast

There are many reasons why you should brown your meat before you roast it. When you sear the meat, you will be able to eliminate all the fat from the pork. It is also a good way of locking the liquids so that the dish turns out to be moist and will taste better. The cooking time is shortened and the pork will have a crisp and rosy texture. In order to do this, use an iron cast skillet pan and add some apples and onions to it. After you have browned it for 3 minutes on each side, pop it in the oven for roasting.